Car-coupling



'(No Model.)

.GAR GOUPLING. No. 539,034. n I Patented May 1.4, 1895.

JDiI FFECEe oAR-oooPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,034,51ated May 14, 1895."

Application ined December 28,1894. sannita. 533,182.' (Nomad.)

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, HARVEY RAYMOND BRO- CIUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summerville, in thecounty of Jefferson and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f Y

My invention relates to automatic car couplers of that class which employ a pivoted knuckle combined with means for locking the knuckle in place when engaged by a corresponding knuckle on another drawhead.

The leading purpose of this improvement is to provide an improved coupler which can be operated manually whilerthe train is in motion and with the full draft 'or strain of the locomotive and train of cars, thereon, to cut out certain`cars ofthe train without stopping the train or slackening the speed thereof, and at the same time the parts operate to hold-the coupler securely locked against accidental uncoupling.

Among other things, the objectsl of the in! vention are to provide means for uncoupling the cars, designed to be operated by the brakeinan while standing on the ground alongside of the track, orwhile on the car without leaning over the end of the same, to grasp the operating devicesor of going between the cars;- to provide improved means which act to automatically set the knuckle when it is released from the locking device so that the brakeman is not required to pass between the cars to set the knuckle, by hand, in position forl for coupling; to provide improved means for cushioning the endwise movement of the drawhead so as to reduce the shock and jar when the cars are coupled or lwhen in motion;

and to simplify theconstruction generally so as to increase the efciency, and promote the strength and durability of the coupling.

other cars to make a cut or detach certain cars of the train while itis in motion, and

the couplings in order to detach one or more cars. v

Another diiculty encountered is that the exhaust steam and smoke blown down the Vtrack sometimes prevents the engineer from observing the brakemans signals to the etect that the cars have beencut off from the train. This operationof stopping, or reducing the speed of, the train entails considerable strain and wear on the4 engine and cars because of the application of the brakes to retard the train previous to uncoupling.

With the cars equipped with my improved coupling, the operation of releasing the knuckle can be eiected While the train is in motion, or While the full strain and draft of the engine and cars are on the coupling, so that it is not necessary-to apply the brakes to retard the train previous to detaching certain of the cars, nor is it absolutely necessary for the engineer to be notified that the cars have been cut out of the train, because the engineer cany give the signal to make the cnt and after allowing sufficient time for the brakeman to accomplish theuncoupling ofthe cars,the engineer can proceed on his way;

To the accomplishment of the objects here` inbefore recited, my invention consists in the novel combination of devices and in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and defined by the claims.

I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in Whichl Figure 1 is a general plan view illustrating the position of the draw-heads ready to be coupled together. Fig. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the cushions forthe drawhead and its bar. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the draw-head, Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the operating-lever. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the drawhead, the draw-bar, and the cushions. Fig. 6 It is the practice in shifting freight andy IOC and B are the central sills of the car. These sills B are recessed on their opposing faces at intermediate points of their length, as at b, and the opposing faces or sides of these sills are faced by metallic plates C which extend into the recesses b which serve to strengthen the sills and to take up the wear. In these recesses are fitted the ends of the shock-plate D and the follower` E, Which parts are arranged parallel to each other and span the space between the recessed parts of the sills B, and these plates are formed with holes which are in line with one another to adapt the bolt F to be passed through said plates, as shown. The front end of this bolt, F, is formed with a head f, which bears against the closed rear end or head of the draw bar, and between this headed bolt and the draw bar is interposed a washerf to take up the wear to which these parts aresubjected. In the rear extremity of the draw bolt, F, '1s formed a vertical slot f2, in which is Iitted a vertical key F"that is adapted to take or bear against the plate E. Between the two plates D, E, is interposed a powerful coiled metallic spring G, which is fitted on the draw bolt F and which serves to normally force the two plates away from each other to the full limit permitted by the end walls of the recesses b, b.

II designates the draw bar which is fitted between the sills B and the wear plates to slide between the saine, and which is held from dropping by the stirrup h, plates h being bolted on the lower sides of the sills B below the recesses h to prevent the plates D, E, from displacement. This draw bar His of the usual hollow form, and it has the draw head I produced on its front end inthe usual way, this drawhead being of the curved form usually provided in couplers which employ a swinging knuckle. The drawbar, as has been stated is hollow and formed with a solid rear head through an opening in which the bolt F can be passed to bring the bolt head f against the solid head of said drawbar, and in this drawbar is cut a transverse horizontal slot h through which is passed a horizontal key H that is secured in the sills B and is provided with retainers to prevent endwise displacement of said key, whereby the key H- serves to hold the draw head. and drawbar from being pulled off the carshould the coiled spring G and the key F be broken.

The drawhead, I, is formed with the usua chamber to receive the knuckle J when coupled with another knuckle, and between ears t' produced on one side of the drawhead is litted the elbow of the knuckle, a vertical bolt t" being passed through the ears and through the knuckle to pivotally support the latter in the drawhead. The movement of the knuckle, when it is swung outward, is limited byastop iiange,j, produced on the outer face knuckle, coming in contact with the edge of the draw head between the ears t', and the movement of the knuckle in the opposite direction being .arrested by the inner member of the knuckle coming in contact with the outer wall or side of the drawhead chamber. This knuckle is peculiarly constructed to adapt it to co-oper ate with a locking latch K in a manner to enable the knuckle to be released manually while the train is in motion or under the full pulling strain of the engine and preceding cars, for the purpose of detachng one or more cars without stopping the train, and yet, when the manual releasing devices hold thekuuckle in place that it cannot be turned on its pivot to permit the cars to become uncoupled accidentally. Theinner member,j, ofthe knuckle is reduced in the form of a conical pivotj on which is loosely fitted a cone-bored cylindrical friction roller J', the latter being free to turn easily on the pivot j and held in place by means of the washer and keyj.

The latch K is arranged in a horizontal position transversely across the drawhead chainber so as to occupy a position at right anglesl to the roller J when the latch is engaged with the knuckle to lock the latter in place after the cars have been coupled; and this latch K is hung to the drawhead on the opposite side thereof from the side to which the knuckle is pivoted. This latch is pivoted to the drawhead by means of a horizontal bolt, 7c, which is secured in the drawhead welldown toward the lowerside thereofso that the pressure or strain of the knuckle on the latch, when the train pulls on the knuckle, will prevent the latch from being lifted and thus uncouple the cars accidentally7 and this latch is of such length that its free end will drop down alongside of the friction roller J', when theknuckle IOO is forced back into the drawhead chamber, so

that the latch, w-hich thus lies at right angles to the lnember,j, of the knuckle, will form an obstruction in the path of the member, j, of the knuckle to prevent it from being turned on its pivot by the strain or pull exerted on the knuckle. The latch is designed to be liftedautomatically by the knuckle when the latter is turned and forced back by an ap- IIO preaching drawhead, so that the two knuckles may be automatically engaged, and to the accomplishment of this end I arrange the latch in the path of the rollerJ 0n the knuckle and provide the outer face of the latch with the cam surface I which is formed so that the roller, on the inward turning of the knuckle, will ride or bear upon the cam I and lift the latch until the roller J and the member-,3, move clear past the end of the latch, whereupon the latter drops or falls by gravity into the path of the knuckle to prevent the latter from having turning movement until the latch has been lifted clear of the roller.

The knuckle, when released from the latch, is automatically thrown out into operative position by the action of aspring pressed arm or lever L, so that the brakeman is not required to pass between the cars for the purpose of setting the knuckle by hand. This arm or lever, Il, is arranged within the drawhead chamber, on the bottom side or wall thereof, and near its rear end, it is formed with a laterally extending lug, Z, which is hung or pivoted to the drawhead by means f a vertical bolt Z' that is suitably fastened on` the drawhead. Against the heel of this lever operates a` pressure spring L that is confined in the drawhead chamber so as to be housed in and protected by the drawhead or the drawbar and is thus not liable to be broken or displaced; and said springL bears against the Xed abutment Z in the drawbar, therheel of the lever L being .prolonged somewhat so as to lit into the coiled spring and aid in holding it in place. The front end of this lever, L, is` formed with a prong m, that fits up into a recess m formed in the lower face or side of the knuckle, and this prong bears against one of the boundary walls of the recess fm in,

a manner to force the knuckle out into operative position for engagement by the approaching drawhead, whenever the knuckle is released from the latch.

I haveprovided means for operating the latch and to release the knuckle by a brakeman standing beside the track, off to one side of the car, or from the top of the platform, so

that the brakeman is not required to pass be-k tween the cars or lean over the platform when it is desired to free thelatch from the knuckle and allow the latter to be turned by the lever L, either to uncouple the cars or to set the knuckle into position to be engaged by an approaching drawhead to automatically couple the cars.

To the end sill A of the car is fastened two brackets, M, N, provided with bearings m, fn,

respectively, which are arranged in line with each other so as to receive a horizontal rock shaft O, the latter being thus journaled in the bearings of the brackets to be easily turned` p erture in the drawhead and attached to the upper side of the gravity latch K, and said pin O being formed, near its upper end, with a flange or head o which serves to exclude the water and snow from entering the drawhead aperture and from interfering with the free operation of the latch-lifting devices.

The bracket, N, which is bolted to the sill, A, near the side of the car is formed with a lug, n, that extends'beyond the bearing n for the rock shaft and which forms a seat for the operating lever or handle P. One end of this lever is forked to form lugs, which receive between themselves a reduced tenon on the end of the rock shaft, and this lever or handle is connected to the rock shaft by means of a pivot pin, p, whereby the lever can be swung to a position above, below, or in line with the rock shaft to operate the latter either from the side or platform of the car for the purpose of lifting the latch and releasing the knuckie. By turning the handle so as to rock the shaft and lift the latch, and then moving the handle to rest upon the lug n of the bracket N, the latch is heldout of the path of the knuckle so that the car cannot be coupled.

To adapt the knuckle to be used in connection with ordinary pin and link couplers, a slot q is cut in the outer member,j of the knuckle, and a pin receiving aperture q' is cut vertically through the member j" to intersect with the slot, whereby the ordinary link can be fitted in the slot q and the pin in the aperture q to adapt the coupler to be connected to the common type of drawhead.

My coupler can loe used in connection with any style of knuckle couplers, of whichthe Janney, Miller, and Gould types are the most familiar' examples, as well as with the pin and link couplers to which reference hasjust been made. A

The operation may be described as follows: To set the knuckle, the brakeman lifts the handle, P, and turns the shaft O to lift the pivoted latch out of the path of the roller, J" on the knuckle, whereupon the spring-pressed lever L turns the knuckle on its pivot and moves it into operative position shown in Fig. l. Asthe knuckle on an approaching drawhead strikes the inner membenj, or roller J on the knuckle, it is forced around on its pivot so that the roller J rides against the cam I and lifts the latch I, and at the same time the outer memberj" of the knuckle interlocks with the otherknuckle on the approaching car, the latch K operating by gravity to drop against the side of the roller Jf and lie in the path of the innermember, j, of the knuckle, thus locking the latter securely in place. As the cars come together, the drawhead and bar are forced inward to compress the spring G which thus cushions the movement of' the drawhead 'and relieves the cars to a great extent from the shock and jar due to the coupling thereof. To release the knuckle and permit the cars to be uncoupled, the lever P and shaft O are turned to raise the latch out of the path of the roller and knuckle; and this roller ofers such minimum resistance to the lifting movement of the latch, that the knuckle can be released even when the cars are in motion and the engine and train are pulling on the knuckle. By reason of the latch being pivoted to drop down at right angles to the roller, and being arranged to close down toward the bottom side of the drawhead, it operates to effectively lock the knuckle against any strainthat may bebrought on the knuckle by the pulling of theengine, and the knuckleY is thus locked by the latch until the latch is raised by manual operation of the rock shaft and lever.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of con- IOO IIO

struction herein shown and described as an embodiment of my invention can be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations as fairly fall Within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a car coupler, substantially such as described the combination with a drawhead, of aswinging knuckle provided with a roller, and a latch mechanism arranged in the path of said roller on the knuckle and adapted, when the knuckle is turned inward, to prevent the same from turning on its pivot, as and for the purposes described.

2. In a car coupler, substantially such as described, the combination with a drawhead, of a knuckle pivoted thereto and having its inner member provided with a roller, and' a latchbar pivoted to the drawhead and arranged at right angles to the roller and knuckle when the parts are locked, as and for the purposes described.

3. In a car coupler, substantially such as described, a knuckle having its inner end provided with a tenon and a roller fitted loosely on said tenon, in combination with -a drawhead, and a latch pivoted in the drawhead and arranged at right angles to the knuckle when the latch and knuckle are engaged, as set forth.

4. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawhead, of a swinging knuckle provided with a friction roller, and a latch pivoted to the drawhead to lie in the path of said roller and provided with a cam surface against which said roller impingcs, to lift the latch, when the knuckle is turned inward, as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination with a drawhead, a knuckle, and a latch, of a setting arm,L, having its heel, Z, pivoted to the drawhead and its free end fitted against the knuckle to slide thereon, and a spring bearing against the heel of the setting arm at one side of its pivot, as and for the purposes described.-

6. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawhead, and a knuckle, of a setting arm housed within the drawhead, pivoted thereto, and having an arm bearing against the knuckle, and a spring which bears against the heel ot' the setting arm, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with a drawhead and a swinging knuckle, of a latch, fixed brackets forming journal bearings, a rockshaft journaled in said brackets and connected with the latch, and a reversible handle or lever pivoted to the rock shaft, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. The combination with alatch, of the fixed brackets, one having the seat n', a rock shaft journaled in the brackets and having its inner end connected to the latch, and a reversible handle pivoted to the outer end ofthe rock shaft and adapted to rest upon the seat n', substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY RAYMOND BRO CIUS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE OsBoRN, HIRAM F. GUTHRIE. 

